Ted Cruz placed a bet Wednesday night that could define his political life. was a remarkable scene: The Texas senator took the stage and
congratulated Trump for winning the Republican nomination. But he didn't
endorse Trump. And as his speech went on, the crowd noticed it -- and
was not happy.
The tipping point: He told convention-goers to "vote your conscience" in November.
Trump's
allies on the convention floor went into a frenzy, booing so loudly
that they drowned out the end of Cruz's speech. It made for one of the
most memorable, made-for-TV moments in modern political convention
history -- with both Cruz and Trump getting exactly what they wanted.Cruz knew he needed the boos from the crowd to remind everyone at home
that he's still anti-establishment -- and Trump now controls the
establishment. It was a huge gamble that Republicans will deeply regret
nominating Trump. It was Cruz's one and only shot to create a moment
reminiscent of Ronald Reagan in 1976, when Reagan, who'd just lost a
primary race to President Gerald Ford, delivered a convention speech
that vaulted him to the presidency four years later.
And then, Trump's counter: Near the end
of Cruz's speech, Trump arrived at the arena -- knowing that television
cameras would cut away from Cruz and focus on him, allowing for one
final jab at the man he branded "Lyin' Ted" during the primaries.
Cruz's
career will never be the same again. The convention floor briefly
devolved into chaos following his remarks. Cruz's wife, Heidi, was
escorted off the floor as hecklers shouted "Goldman Sachs!" -- a
reminder of where she works. Minutes later, a delegate had to be
restrained from physically attacking Cruz.
Cruz knew he was making a long-term wager -- but he might have lost some important friends in the process.
He
was turned away from mega-donor Sheldon Adelson's suite after the
episode, three sources told CNN. Cruz's Virginia campaign chairman,
Richard Black, said he's "doubtful I would do that again," referring to
his future support of the senator.
"In
the end, each individual has a duty to the nation that transcends the
duty to yourself, and that's where I think he failed," Black said.
Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Michigan, called
it a "mistake," though he thought Trump shouldn't have given Cruz a
prime speaking slot without a guarantee of an endorsement.
Hillary
Clinton won't help Cruz escape turncoat accusations. She tweeted the
phrase he'd uttered to set off boos -- "Vote your conscience" -- with a
link to her website.
Trump goaded
Cruz on Twitter after the speech, writing: "Wow, Ted Cruz got booed off
the stage, didn't honor the pledge! I saw his speech two hours early but
let him speak anyway. No big deal!"
Jason
Johnson, Cruz's chief strategist for his 2016 campaign, tweeted that
Trump had even more notice that the Texas senator wouldn't be endorsing
him. "Cruz told Trump directly two days ago," he said.
So far, the Republican convention is
memorable primarily for two things: the love and loyalty of Trump's
children, and the daily distractions. There was the Melania Trump
plagiarism controversy, then the fallout over the campaign's handling of
the controversy, and then one final, bitter fight with Cruz.
Thursday, though, is Trump's night.
The
GOP nominee is set to deliver the most important speech of his life,
with an enormous national audience watching closely. That the convention
thus far has gone badly off-script only adds to the importance of the
speech -- and the pressure and opportunity Trump faces.
If
he's able to show any new dimensions, it could thrust Trump past all
the week's problems. But distractions or missteps would only serve to
reinforce the chaos that has surrounded him all week in Cleveland.
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